Backpacker Magazine – Gear Guide 2011

Gear Review: ContourHD Camera

A tiny helmet cam with above average sound quality.

by: Kelly Bastone

Tags:
• Camera
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• Digital cameras
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• Camcorders
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• Gear
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POV
The ContourHD, small as a travel tube of sunscreen, fits onto a pack strap, goggle strap, or sunglass arm to record wide-angle action up to 135 degrees. “Walking up the talus slope toward glaciers on Anderson Pass in Denali National Park looks like an epic quest,” says our tester. The anodized-aluminum housing is all-conditions tough–rain and mud never tripped it up. Its oversized switches are easy to operate, even with gloves.

Sound quality is above average for a helmet cam—the pinhole mic has a range of about five feet—and it shoots 30 frames per second, which stabilizes shots, even at 1080p. Use a 32GB micro SD card (instead of the included 2GB), and it captures eight hours of HD. Downside: The tiny lens doesn’t adjust well to dim lighting. $329; 4.3 oz.; contour.com
See all "essential" reviews from the 2011 Gear Guide


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